EAST LANSING, Mich. — As immigration issues become increasingly concerning for Michigan government agencies and migrant populations alike, the Michigan State University College of Law has launched a clinic to provide free representation to low-income immigrants while fostering public policy discussion and analysis of social justice.
The college’s new Immigration Law Clinic is run by Veronica Thronson, assistant clinical professor of law, and David Thronson, professor of law. Currently, there are nine law students who work under their supervision to represent clients. Each student represents multiple clients and is expected to work 20 hours weekly in the clinic. Clients are generally accepted from referrals from social service organizations.
After just three weeks, the clinic has nearly 30 cases.
“There is a huge demand for immigration services across Michigan,” Veronica Thronson said. “For example, many refugees have settled in the Lansing area, and West Michigan has attracted many migrant workers. In the east side of the state, Dearborn has a large Arab population – the largest in the United States. So there are wide-ranging issues and needs across the state.”
She said according to the latest available data, 5.8 percent of Michigan’s population is foreign born and about half that population is not citizens. In addition, children residing with at least one immigrant parent account for 10.4 percent of children younger than 18.
Most immigrants come to the United States to work, flee persecution or raise a family.
Because the clinic accepts a variety of cases, students practice real-world immigration law, which is complicated and always changing, Veronica Thronson said. Students have the chance to hone their research, writing and interviewing skills while working with interpreters.
“We may work to find relief for a Cuban child who was trafficked through Mexico while at the same time work with someone who has been a victim of crime,” she said.
It’s common, Veronica Thronson said, for an abuser to threaten his or her spouse or partner with deportation while also threatening to keep the children. But these domestic violence victims have rights, which is where the clinic steps in to help them achieve immigration status. Other common scenarios: expired visas, denial of marriage and driver’s licenses and fair court representation. In all cases, immigrants need to know their rights, she said.
The clinic has reached out to MSU’s Safe Place and the Michigan Coalition Against Domestic and Sexual Violence, both of which have referred clients. Veronica Thronson said she hopes the clinic will become a valuable community resource, not only for immigrants, but also for public defenders, judges and public policy makers who need credible information on immigration law.
“We quite often tell people that immigration law provides them no remedy, and that we cannot assist them,” David Thronson said. “But when someone does qualify for immigration relief it is our work to get the complex legal and bureaucratic systems that implement immigration law to recognize that eligibility.
“Lots of resources are devoted to deporting people who have no right to remain in the United States, and a record number have been deported in the past year. Our work involves making sure that those who have a right are accorded relief and not among those deported.”
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